Paul Atreides

Angel Wings Part 3

When Paul got sick at the age of 94, he knew his life was coming to a close. He read the letter one more time, trying to figure out what you meant by 'find me when you're gone'. The last thing he remembered seeing about life was the sad smile of his daughter whom he loved so much as she wished him goodbye.

The next thing he knew, Paul was back in his teenage self. His curly hair was back on his head and his joints were ache-free. He sat in a large chamber that seemed to stretch on for miles, and was made of a thin layer of water on the ground. Fluffy while clouds filled the sky and warm sunlight shone from an invisible sun.

'Paul Atreides.' A foggy voice said. 'You will call me Coelestis. I have restored you to when you were happiest, all your memories would be safe.' The angel was large, with broad shoulders and a blank face. Paul was too dumbfounded to say anything.

'You are dead. Your need in life to the living is not necessary. You have lived a good and filling life, loved by many, hated by few. You have the freedom to roam anywhere you please.' The figure seemed to glide through the roof, leaving Paul to his own and completely and utterly flabbergasted. 

Of course he had died, that part was clear. There wasn't any chance that a place at a Seitch would look this beautiful. Paul took the chance to wander around. The more he walked, the more he was astounded. 

At first glance the place he was at seemed to be empty. But as he watched, he could see other people, probably dead like he was, wandering around too. There were also portal looking triangles with blurred golden edges dotting most areas. People popped in and out of them, each one with smiles on their faces and laughs on their lips.

There was one particular triangle, however, that had a dull silver edge, almost grey. He walked closer, curious to see what it was. 

'That leads to the Realm of Dilecta.' A young boy's voice said. The name rung alarm bells in Paul's head. He looked over to see a small boy, maybe six years old with a gap-toothed grin looking back at him. 'It's where us Guardians who've fallen in love with beings go to. A type of punishment.'

'Realm of Dilecta?' Paul frowned, remembering someone somewhere saying it.

'Yes, it means Realm of the Beloved. Deceptive, isn't it?' The boy then smiled and skipped away.

Paul glanced into the foggy triangle. 

He had an overwhelming feeling to go inside. He had to, he needed to go inside. He took a step, then another, then he walked into the triangle. Paul felt a wave of cold wash over him as he passed through the triangle. The world changed from white and blue, to red and black. The flooring was a dark red water, clouds black. A gentle humming of a song by a female voice could be heard echoing through the chamber.

'Hello?' Paul called out. The humming tune kept going. 'Anybody there?'

The humming stopped.

'I'm a friend. My name's Paul.' He felt ridiculous talking into the darkness.

'Paul?' A voice said. A voice that he'd heard say his name before. A voice that said his name every night since he was sixteen. 'Paul?'

'You.' He whispered. 'It's you.'

'You've found me.' A figure slowly started to emerge from the dark. 'I'm here. You're here.'

'Who are you? Why do I dream of you?' Paul asked, wanting to know, begging to know.

'Don't you remember me, Paul?' The figure stepped out into the light. 

As soon as he saw you, the curve of your lips, the colour of your eyes, the arch of your brow, he knew exactly who you were.

Every memory overwhelmed his brain. From the first meet on the rocks, to when you shared your dinner that night, to when he made you laugh, to when he realised he liked you, to when he kissed you.

'You were whispering about being banished. Why?' He said.

'I fell in love with you, Paul. Foolish of me, really.' You chuckled. 'I shouldn't have gone down to Arrakis.'

'And now you're isolated.' Sympathy tugged at his heart. Somewhere, he knew he had loved you too. All these years a tiny part of him was begging him to come look for you, and he found you. Small, frail, punished. 'This is my fault.'

'My feelings are not your fault, Paul.' You smiled. 'I'm glad I got to love you. Even if it was for a short while.'

'I'm sorry, I really am.' Paul stepped close. He suddenly felt a yanking on his back and he was thrust back into the world of gold and white.

A giant figure loomed over him. 'What were you doing there?' A booming voice said. 'That is forbidden to anybody but me.' It was Coelestis.

'Why am I not allowed to go in there?' Paul demanded.

'Because you caused her to step out of line, she must stay in line now.' Coelestis said. 'Now you obey or you end up in a different version of what she has.' 

Paul stiffened, he didn't want to leave you. The sudden overwhelming feeling of his heart being yanked out of his chest pained him. Paul fell to the ground and screamed so hard, if he was back on Arrakis blood would've started pouring out of the ears of anybody who heard.

'She is gone now. Nothing you can do about it.' Coelestis hovered away.

'She's gone. She's gone.' Paul whispered to himself. Then it hit him. The last solstice.

'Guardians only live in that realm as long as the being they fell in love with is alive.' The gap-toothed boy appears to say. 

Paul wept. He hadn't cried this much in years. He had gotten you back, and you'd left. Once and for all.

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